


f i r e w o r k s

by oddfiend



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-13
Updated: 2018-02-13
Packaged: 2019-03-15 20:57:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13621539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oddfiend/pseuds/oddfiend
Summary: can flames of victory guide a heart?





	f i r e w o r k s

**Author's Note:**

> I used original names for techniques and crucial terms, so for whose who are not familiar with them:  
> Kagebunshin no Jutsu - Shadow Clone technique that Naruto used most frequently  
> Hokage - leading shinobi of the Konohagakure, literally Fire (Ho) Shadow (Kage)  
> Shinobi - name for ninja in the Naruto franchise  
> Konohagakure or just Konoha - romanised as Village Hidden in Leaf, Fire Country's army force's residence  
> Iryounin - medical ninja, either field-trained or residing in hospitals  
> Nukenin - runaway ninja, usually chased by ANBU (shinobi's special force) til' death  
> Jinchuuriki - a person in whom a Tailed Beast (1 to 9 tailed animal) was sealed  
> Kyuubi - a Nine-Tails Demon Fox (his real name is Kurama)  
> Amenotejikara - Sasuke's ability to teleport himself on short distances, or long distances if shifted places with an object or person granted to him by Rinnegan  
> Dobe/usuratonkachi - Sasuke's trade mark names for Naruto, meaning close to "idiot"  
> Teme - Naruto's name for Sasuke, meaning close to "stupid or fool"  
> Kai - a phrase used to discontinue a technique  
> Kunoichi - female ninja  
> Ero Sennin - a name Naruto used for his teacher, Jiraiya  
> Sannin - a name used to address three legendary ninja: Tsunade, Orochimaru and Jiraiya  
> Henge - a technique used to change appearance of a user

“Erh, so, Naruto, tell me again” a raven-haired boy started, tiredly. “Why are we here? Aren’t you supposed to be on stage and I’m in prison?”

He looked around. People were everywhere, covering every last piece of the square in front of Hokage's residence. Some were crying happy tears, some couldn't stop sobbing in sorrow. He noticed a lot of familiar faces, though some of them he recognized only because of the features they had. Everyone grew up so much since he left the Village. He noticed a topknot of Konohamaru's hair, surrounded by a ginger-haired girl and a boy in glasses. Few meters from them stood Tenten, along with Rock Lee and their injured teacher, who remained in a wheelchair. Sasuke's eyes traveled to the left from Team Guy to find Teams 8 and 10 standing around Kurenai who held a child in her hands. Asuma's legacy? A little further stood Tsunade with Shizune and Sakura, the latter frequently turned around to look at her teammates. She seemed to not worry of Naruto standing with Sasuke. Surprisingly, there wasn't a single ANBU agent around to control him, but Sasuke decided they just hid well.

“Hehe, don’t worry, Sasuke” a blond boy beside him laughed. “Haven’t I mastered the  _Kagebunshin no Jutsu_ or what?”

The stage lit up and the Sixth Hokage stepped on the stage. The crowd roared wild, as he began his speech. Honoring those who lost their life, praising those who survived, thanking those who put their all to win the war and might have lost themselves during this. Sasuke looked at his teacher, now in the position of the Hokage and smirked. Who would have thought that Kakashi would become the leader? Who would have thought Sakura would turn out to inherit Tsunade’s techniques and become the second most known iryounin? Who would have thought Naruto, that little brat, would become a war hero, praised within every Village? Who would have thought, that he, Sasuke, the last son of the great (not-so-great in the end) Uchiha clan would turn out to be a nukenin, followed by his own friends throughout his life just to be brought back to the Konohagakure?

“And now, let me give a word for our legendary war hero, our very own Kyuubi jinchuuriki, Naruto Uzumaki!” Kakashi stepped to the back of the stage.

“Hehe, Kakashi-sensei, you could left out a mention about Kurama, you know? Everyone used to hate me because of that” the Naruto beside Sasuke bitterly laughed.

“I didn’t hate you” Sasuke whispered, knowing he would be heard, hence the Fox’s ears.

Naruto looked at him with surprise, and seconds later smiled with sorrow.

“Tell that to him, to real me” his voice was full of guilt.

Another Naruto appeared on the stage and happily waved his hand in greetings. The crowd went wild, cheering and clapping. People shouted "Naruto!" from all directions. Apparently, Naruto finally found people who recognized him for who he was, the hero.

“I want to be with him during fireworks!” Sasuke accidentally eavesdropped on a woman talking, a bit further in the back of the crowd.

“Haven’t you heard? Hinata of the Hyuga confessed to him during their battle with Pain” another female voice came in response. “I guess they are together now”

“Whaaat?” the first voice cried out angrily. “That little sorry bitch! How could she? She couldn’t even hold the place of the Heiress to Hyuga-”

“Hey, shh” the second voice abruptly stopped with a surprised sigh. “He can hear you, he’s here”

“What?”

Sasuke sensed as the two people approached him and Naruto.

“Eeehh? Naruto-san, how are you here and on stage in the same time?” a woman with the first voice started sweetly.

“Oh, that’s easy! I’m the clone and there’s the real Naruto” he laughed and pointed on the stage.

The women laughed in response and tried to continue the dialogue, but Sasuke turned to them with his Rinnegan eye and they retreated with fear, whispering something between “that criminal” and “he should be caged”.

Naruto looked at his friends with guilt. They both turned to the stage to listen to Uzumaki’s speech.

“Speaking of clones. Naruto, where are you?” Sasuke turned to his friend again. He concentrated on his part of Hagoromo's chakra and tried to sense Naruto's half, but he was met with only two thirds.

“Eh, he knew you would notice” the clone-Naruto sighed, and lowered his voice so that no one could eavesdrop. “He’s in the park. To the east gates”

Sasuke nodded and with a quiet 'swish’ he disappeared, leaving a disoriented clone of himself behind. Clone-Naruto smiled and enveloped clone-Sasuke into a bear hug.

“Nee~, the originals, huh?” he laughed while clone-Sasuke tried to throw clone-Naruto off.

***

The real Sasuke appeared on the outskirts of the crowd, unseen by any bystanders. He quickly suppressed his chakra an closed his left eye to limit the exhaustion from the _Amenotejikara_ , a technique he just used.

“East gates, huh?” he smirked.

He remembered their first mission outside of the Konohagakure. They went exactly through east gates of the village.

“Classy, dobe”

He hopped off the ground to land on a nearby roof. Shinobi’s way of relocation was the fastest. He followed the note, clone-Naruto gave him, and as he approached the park, he could feel the exact location of Naruto by sensing his chakra.

“And why would you, of all people, hide here when the whole Village is practically worshipping you?”

Sasuke hopped off the tree right in front of Naruto. This time it really was him, and not one of his clones.

“Do you know the legend behind victory fireworks?” Naruto hasn't even moved a brow by Sasuke’s sudden appearance.

Probably felt the chakra closing, he wasn't a genin in skills anymore, despite the bureaucracy.

“I believe not” Sasuke looks at his friend with a not-so-well-hidden interest.

“And you topped the grades in the Academy? Unbelievable!” Naruto burst into laughing. 

“It’s not like Iruka-sensei asked for any of this nonsense to be learned” Sasuke countered, smirking.

He toned down his desire to laugh at the face Naruto made. Somehow, laughing with his friend was easy, he could forget the darkness that surrounded him since Itachi's death.

“Sasuke, teme!” the blonde boy pushed his friend with his remaining arm.

Sasuke didn't counter the so-called attack, there was no need. They were all too grown up to put up a meaningless fight. His friend sat down with his back against the tree. Sasuke followed.

“There is this legend, that says if you kiss a person you love during fireworks, you stay together for the rest of your lives, no matter what happens” Naruto started with an unfamiliar quiet voice and Sasuke could swear he heard sadness and desperation behind his words. “So, apparently, the majority of Konoha’s kunoichis now believe I am their special someone and there's going to be a hunt for me when fireworks start”

“I have never heard this story” Sasuke looked with surprise. “So you ran away. Feels familiar”

“Not funny, idiot” nevertheless Naruto laughed. “Do I look like Ero Sennin to enjoy being kissed by a random woman?”

Sasuke stared at his friend. Mentioning of the late Sannin was unexpected and he was afraid it could ruin Naruto’s mood. He had time to learn that Jiraiya was Naruto's godfather, the last tie to a family Naruto never truly had. Bright blue eyes of his friend darkened a little, but he smile anyway. Maybe he finally came to terms with the death of his teacher. Even Sasuke felt how unfair the situation was. Orochimaru came back and he was alive and well, even though Sasuke didn't have warm feelings for his teacher. Tsunade, Sakura’s teacher was present too, still in her young appearance, despite the age. Only Naruto's teacher remained in the Pure World, having given his life to protect the Village from his previous student, Nagato.

“Besides, I already have a special someone” Naruto looked away embarrassed. “And I want to kiss that person, but I don't know if I can”

“Oh, you're waiting to someone then?” Sasuke suddenly felt shame, he never wanted to interrupt Naruto’s date. He also felt sadness crippling deep in his heart. “I'll get going then”

He got up from his place beside Naruto and almost started moving, then his friend caught him by the wrist.

“No, you stay-” he whispered. “I don't believe this person feels the same, so there’s no point of waiting”

As Naruto realised where he touched his friend, he quickly removed his hand. “Sorry”

“It's ok. Are you still hung up on Sakura?” Sasuke hesitated before sitting down on his knees, now in front of Naruto.

They are too close, but none of them seemed to care. Their souls were much closer to each other than physical closeness could ever achieve.

“Ah? No, no. I'm way past Sakura” he shook his head then leaned back on the tree.

Naruto was so disoriented, he forgot the honorary postfix he usually used to her name. “She's still into you though. Maybe you could give her a chance?”

“I don't want to” Sasuke instantly rejected the idea. Sakura was dear to him, but she was more like a sister he never had. He couldn't look at her with a romantic interest. “Besides. I too have a special someone already”

“Hey, how the mighty have fallen” Naruto sadly chuckled, gripping his t-shirt where his heart would be. “Two best friends with broken hearts”

First firework erupted high in the sky. They could hear people cheering and screaming joy. Naruto suddenly twitched and then sighed relaxed.

“Clones’re back” he explained.

“Give me your hand” Naruto subconsciously reached out to Sasuke who then formed a seal with their hands.

“Kai” he whispered and then twitched just like Naruto did earlier. “Phew, just in time”

“Eh?” Naruto looked at him with surprise. “ You made a clone too?”

“How do you think I was able to come here without ANBU following me, usuratonkachi?” Sasuke stared at Naruto, who seemed lost.

“Eeh? That's because they don't follow you anymore!” he almost shouted at his friend. “Kakashi-sensei cleared you!”

“What?” now it was Sasuke's turn to shout surprised.

“What, what. Stupid Sasuke” Naruto sighed. “Keep your voice down, what if somebody finds us?”

“They would be too late” in a swift motion, Sasuke leaned on the tree with his right arm and stopped with his face inches away from Naruto's.

“For wh-?”

Not giving Naruto time to finish, Sasuke closed the gap between their faces and locked their lips. He felt Naruto hesitating before he kissed back. He didn't push him away. Unlike their first kiss, this was gentle, welcomed and borderline arousing kiss. Somewhere behind the kiss was the desperation, fear that it would be their last encounter even after all they've been through.

“Sasuke…” Naruto broke the kiss, trying to catch his breath.

“Tch” he replied, and moments later sent a few shurikens somewhere behind.

Without realising, he covered Naruto, pushing him back to the tree, shielding him from whatever danger there was.

“My, my. Sasuke, you know you can be tried for an attempt on Hokage’s life?” Kakashi's voice came from the darkness.

“Then don't come like this, Kakashi” he replied, relaxing his protective posture and moving aside to open Naruto, who was still lost in his thoughts.

“Kakashi-sensei, what are you doing here?” Naruto quickly suppressed his nerves, evening the breath and finally coming back to his senses. His hand was still trembling, though.

“Erh, well, I noticed your clones disappearing and thought I might find you here” he chuckled when Naruto blushed badly. “Fireworks ended already, by the way. But you were right on time with the last one”

“Then why don't you leave us?” Sasuke looked at his teacher with anger. “We have something to discuss”

“Fine, fine. I still have to find Iruka anyways” and with that Kakashi made his leave.

“Why did you-?” Naruto started, not looking at his friend, being too embarrassed by his earlier actions.

“Well, I said I have a special someone, right?” Naruto nodded. “That's you”

“Eh?”

“You're the only one who could understand me back then, and you also pursued me no matter how hard I tried to push you away, to tear apart our connection, you kept coming after me” Sasuke said quietly. “You kept me from falling apart”

Naruto stared at him stunned. He could never thought Sasuke hid so many emotions behind his cold face. He probably would never say it again.

“That's obvious I ended up falling in love with you” Sasuke looked his friend in the eyes, trying to decipher the look Naruto was giving him.

“Sasuke, I can't believe you're such an idiot” Naruto then smiled widely, his eyes sparkled with tears. “Such an idiot, oh my god”

“Wh-?” Sasuke's face expression suddenly changed to terrified. Has he misunderstood Naruto earlier? Has he made a mistake in opening his heart? “I ah-!”

Naruto grabbed his friend’s collar and pulled him closer, kissing him. He would have also hugged him by the waist but he still missed an arm from their final battle. Sasuke tensed up, surprised by the sudden action, but seconds later he relaxed, realising that Naruto felt the same way about him. He reciprocated the kiss, took the lead, pinning Naruto to the tree with his body. Quiet huffs escaped Naruto's mouth, when Sasuke moved lower, kissing, biting and sucking the gentle skin of his friend's, no, lover's neck.

“Not… here…” Naruto managed to breath out.

***

Next morning Naruto snuck into the Hokage's office with his neck in bandages. He tried to avoid everyone on his way, having used Henge along the way. He was also late to the meeting, the fact which couldn't be left unnoticed by Kiba, who was leaving the building.

“Eh, Naruto? Have you hurt yourself somewhere?” Hokage's advisor, Shikamaru looked at his friend with worry.

“Oh, th-that's…” Naruto blushed and stuttered, trying to find the right words to explain his appearance.

“Naruto, where's Sasuke?” Kakashi interrupted the one-way interrogation started by Shikamaru.

Naruto blushed even more, trying to catch his breath and form a coherent sentence. “He's at home… I mean, his home… He'll… Later… Ugh…”

“Naruto-?” Shikamaru added one to one and his eyes widened. “You-”

“Shikamaru, can you please hand this to Tsunade?” Kakashi suddenly chimed in. “Right now”

“Yes, Hokage-sama” Shikamaru disappeared, still in shock.

“Now, Naruto, I want to hear everything!” Kakashi stared intensively in Naruto's eyes.

“No! Sensei, you're a pervert!” Naruto screamed so loud, he could be heard outside of the building.

“Yeah, I agree”

“Sasuke…”

“Good morning, Naruto” Sasuke mischievously smiled, standing beside Naruto in front of the Hokage, with his hand placed firmly on his lover's lower back. “So, Kakashi, what's our mission?”

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading!
> 
> please, also read 'Rocket', a doujinshi by Saki Otoh & Nakamura Tomomi! (https://myreadingmanga.info/acute-girls-rocket-naruto-dj-eng)  
> that's where I got the idea 'bout fireworks and with a few adjustments here we are


End file.
